Airbnb said it has embraced the new normal of travel by offering support to its hosts and encouraging them to innovate proactively under the impact of coronavirus.
The company has established an RMB-70-million special fund (USD 10 million) to help the hosts in China since the virus outbreak earlier this year.
Internal data from Airbnb China show that the special fund and related revival plan have accumulatively helped 200,000 Airbnb hosts. As of the end of June, Airbnb reported a more than 20% rise year-on-year in the number of active listings in the country that the company has a strategic focus on.
According to a nation-wide survey conducted by Airbnb in China, 99% of the hosts remain optimistic or neutral about continuing the short-term rental business, among which 72% said they intend to keep their listing scales or even consider expansion.
